US1593525A - Method of molding phenolic condensation products and the like - Google Patents

Description

July 20 1926. 1,593,525

H. N. COPELAND METHOD OF MOLDING PHENOLIC CONDENSATION PRODUCTS AND THE LIKE Filed 0G13. 5 1925 yy @a Patented July 20, 1926.

UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY N. COPELAND, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE'KURZ-KASCH COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

METHOD OF HOLDING PHENOLIC CONDENSATION PRODUCTS AND THE LIKE.

Application iled October 5, 1925. Serial No. 60,423.

My invention relates to the'molding of' phenolic condensation products and the like, and more particularly to `the production in the molded product of irregular grain-like i surface markings, somewhat in imitation of the irregular striate and rayonnant markings found in burlywalnut, mahogany, and other fine oramental wood. Phenolic condensation material is molded in highy 4heated molds.y under heavy pressure.

commercial -mixture of phenolic condensation products begins to fuse or becomes plas'- tic at approximately two hundred 'to two h/undred twenty degrees and becomes fluid at approximately two hundred and sixty to three hundred degrees. Beyond three hundred degrees, a chemical reaction takes place, and the material, which at a lower temperature became soft and then fluid, at the higher temperature sets or hardens. In

the usual method of operation, after the material has been fused 'at a flowing temperature and caused'to 4compfetely fill the mold by pressure, the temperature is increased to approximately three hundred and seventyfive degrees for a curing period, during which the molded product is hardened or set. Heretofore, it has been more or.less common practice to produce articles of mottled appearance by intermixing material of different colors, prior to the introduction of material in themold, while yet in its original granular'or powder form. The` intermixtnre of colored material in the usual process wherein the material is heated to flowing temperaturel under. pressure and then set at av higher temperature, produces a more or less regular distribution of colored stock, giving to the product a mottled appearance.

In the present instance, it has been d iscovered that by preforming the material into a tablet of such shape that itwill not initially fill the `mold space, but will leave re cesses therein, into which the material is displaced under pressure as it becomes soft,

and by regulating the temperature, so that the material is displaced under pressure into such open spaces, while in a viscous or plastic condition, without becoming thoroughly liquefied, itV is. found that the combination of, colored materials will form striae, sometimes radiating from a central foci, and sometimesV scattered and confused, giving to the distribution of the different The usual colors a curdled appearance or hurled effeet, which is more or less controlled within reasonable limits by the shape and arrangement of the material within the mold. The object of the' invention is to-provide a simple, efficient and effective method of producing an ornamental irregular grain design, upon phenolic condensation products somewhat in the imitation of burly effects of fine cabinet wood.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved process for treating phenolic condensation material to produce pleasing effects by molding at lowered temperature, and with ununif'orm distribution ot' the material within the mold.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown the preferred steps for carrying out the process, and illustrations of the product, Figs. 1 and 2 are top plan views of radio instrument knobs, or the like, which have been adopted for illustrative purposes, the surface delineation showingtwo of the endless possible effects which may be attained by the present process. Fig. 3 is a perspectwe view of the tablet or preformed charge of phenolic condensation material,

`from which is produced, substantially the effect shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of twoshapes of preformed tablets or slu sof material, which when employed togeter produce certain variations or modifications of the rayonnant design shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are sectional \views of molds for formin lsuch articles as radio instrument knobs, il ustratin different forms of charge or tablet, and di erent distribution of the material, within the mold to produce different ornamental desi n effects in the surface markings of the pro uct. Fig. 8 illustrates a modification, wherein the surface marking is varied by. a modification. .of the die in lieu of variations of the charge or tablet. Figs. 9 to 14 are detail views, suggestive of various shapes of v10e tablets or reformed charges of material to produce d1erent grain.. or color designs or effects. j

Like parts are indicated by s1m1lar charac- `ters of references throughout the several product has been adopted merely for illustrative purposes, and lthat the invention is not limited to the production of ornamental 'surface markings upon radio knobs and dials, but may be applied to various articles made from phenolic condensation products, to which it may be desired to give ornamental appe arancesuch as automobile steering wheels, electrical switch housings, buttons frames for pictures, or in fact any article which may be molded from phenolic condensation products'.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the male die and 2, the corresponding female die or matrix forthe production of a radio instrument knob. These dies 1 and 2 are steam heated or heated by other .means to al'ordthe necessary fusing and curing temperatures for the material. In the present rocess, the material of granular form and intermixed colors, is preferably"y preformed into a tablet, which contains the proper charge of material, by being coldpressed, so that such tablet will maintain its shape. It has been found that by preformin the tablet or charge into annular form, as sliown at 3, and subjecting such annular tablet charge within the mold to a comparatively low fusing temperature of approximately two hundred to two hundredand forty degrees a rayonnant design, in which the striae of different colored material extend outwardly from a central foci, as in Fig. 1 is produced. The effect of the design is controlled somewhat by variations in temperature. If the temperature is normally high, to fuse the` tablet to a flowing condition, the color mater1`al will bepmore or less evenly intermixed,

and the striate design .will not be present in any marked degree.v vHowever, by fusing the material at a low temperature', whereby it becomes plastic only or in a condition to flow but slowly, the increase of pressure causes it to be displaced inwardly into the central opening 4 of the annular tablet 3, and at the same time, the outer portion .of such tablet is displaced outwardly and downwardly. vBeing in a plastic or thick viscous condition during its displacement, the color material is plled inwardlyto fill the central opening 4; and at the same time pulled outwardly to form the side and margin of the product, thereby producing radial fiow lines of the different colored material. which iow lines remain visible in the finished product, affording a highly ornamental and pleasing surface, somewhat 'in imitation of wood graining. Various other effects can be produced by varying the shape of the tablet or charge. It has been found by experiment that by employing a solid tablet as.at 5, and superposing thereon a smaller annular tablet 6, of less diameter, a differentv effect is produced, wherein the rayonnant ydesign is not so decided nor extended as in Fig. 1,

l lesser extent.

rescates space 8 into which the material is displaced.

upwardly from the margin of the solid tablet 5 and also outwardly from the superposed smaller annular tablet 6.v It is this intermixing'of the material flowing in different directions, into the space 8', which affordsl the burled or confused stri effect, while the inward flow or pull of the color material as "it is displaced into the central o ening 7,

produces the central rayonnant esign of A still further ornamental burled effect somewhat similar to that illustrated in Fig. 2 ma be produced by su erposing a. larger -ta let 10 upon a sma ler tablet 11 as in Fig. 7. In this instance, the larger tablet 10 being solid throughout and devoid of the central opening before mentioned, therewould be no inward displacement of the material. However, the provision of the smaller tablet 1l affords an annular space 12 into which the material of both tablets is displaced. The material of the smaller tablet `11 being dis laced laterally and that of the larger tabllet 10 being displaced downwardly, causes the material .to be intermixed, with more or less confusion about fthe periphery of the mold, thereby producing an irregular design, somewhat as illustrated in Fig. 2. To produce such striate design, whether of rayonnant or burled effect, the material is fused at a somewhat lower temperature than normal` that is. two hundred to two hundred and forty dagrees, so that it flows slowly in a semi-fluid or plastic state, .with the further rovision of a recess into which the, material 1s displaced while in such condition under pressure. This flow space can be variously provided, for instance, it is provided by the central orifices 4, and 7, of the annular tablet. or it may be provided by forming a marginal offset or rabbet as at 8, ,on the u .per side of thecharge, or as at 12 on t e lower side of the charge. Each variation of the size, shape and osition of such iow space, produces a variation of the resultant design. Moreover,witli the flow space similarl)7 positioned, the design may be varied by varyingthe initial fusing temperature, so that the material is flowed into such space or recess, more or less quickly and in a more or less fluid condition. In lieu of providing thefflow space in the charge itself, as heretofore described, the die, either male or female may be provided With a recess 13, as shown in 'Fig 8, into which the material will fioW with somewhat the saine effect lwhen submitted to low fusing temperature.

If such boss formed by the mold depression is not desired in the finished product, this boss may be removed subsequent to the removal of the product from the mold, leaving the surface ornamentation or design, produced by the movement of the material necessary to form such boss or process. In Figs. 9 to 14 there are shown suggestive forms or variations of the initial tablet or charge. These may be made with endless variety, and by differently positioning the charge tablet, centrally or off center or superposing tablets of different shapes one upon another, within the mold, an endless variety of designs may be produced. h

Having thus described the invention, I claim 1. The herein described method of procondensation products and the like, including distributing an intermixture of differently colored material ununiformly in the mold, fusing to a viscous state and subjecting to pressure by which the material is dis laced and distributed along flow lines de ned by striae of colored material, and subjecting the molded product to a curing temperature. n

2. The herein described\method of producin ornamental surface markings upon pheno ic condensation productsand the like, including intermixing material of different colors, fusing the intermixed material to a plastic condition under pressure to effect intersecting currents of differently colored material WhileA plastic -thereby producing a striate distribution of the colored materials and subjecting the product to a curing temperature. l

3. The herein described method 0f producin ornamental surface markings u on pheno ic condensation products and the like',

including intermixing differenltly colored materials and molding such material mixture at a comparativel low temperature under which the material is reducedto aA plastic condition effecting change of position of the material within the mold there- (by producing in the product flow lines of differently colored materials, and subjecting the molded product to a curing temperature.

4. The herein described ,method of pro-` 'which the material is subsequently displaced, heating the material to a viscous condition and' -subjecting it to pressure toN effect displacement into the fiow spaces, the, flow lines of sucli'displaeement being defined by striac'of differently colored material.

, 5. The herein described method of producing ornamental surface markings upon plienolicvcondensation products and the like, consisting in subjecting an intermixture of' differently colored phenolic condensation materials to a comparatively low fusing temperature atl which the material is rendered plastic but maintained below a free fioiving state, molding such material under pressure by which the differently'colored materials Will be irregularly distributed in distorted masses Without blending or subdii'iding, and thereby sin'iulating ai burly grain of cabinet Wood by such combinations.

6. The herein described method of producing a rayonnant design of surface mark- 0 I, ings upon phenolic condensation material ducing surface markings upon phenolic articles, consisting in arranging an intel-mixture of differently colored materials in annular form, Within a mold whereby there is afforded within the mold a central open recess into which the material will flow, subjecting the material to fusing temperature less than sufficient to reduce the material to a free flowing condition, subjecting the fused material to pressure by which `converging flow lines of differently colored material are induced by the displacement of the material into such central recess.

7. The herein described method of producing ornamental surface markings upon articles molded from phenolic condensation materials and the like, consisting in intermixing differently colored materials, distributing the material in a mold inV such manner as to leave an open recess into which the material may fioW When fused, fusing the material to a semi-fluid state and sub- .jecting the fused material to pressure by ducing ornamental surface markings upon i articles moldedi from phenolic condensation materials and the like, consisting in intermixing differently coloredmaterials, preformingfthe material into an annular tablet subjecting the tablet to fusing temperature under pressure to effect a distorted irregular distribution of the colored material. p 9. The herein' described method of producing ornamental surface markings upon articles molded from phenolic condensation materials and the like, consisting in intermixing differently colored materials, locating the intermixed material in a mold in such relation as to afford an annular surlia' rounding flow space into which the material will he displaced9 and subjecting 'the maten rial to fusing ,temperature under pressure thereloi7 causing the material to den' :into the surrounding;l spacewithin distorted irregn lar distribution ci the colored material.,

10 The herein descriloed method ot producing ornamental surface markings upon articles molded 'from phenolic condensation materials and the like, consisting in inter mixing differently colored. materials, arranging the intermined material Within a mold in such iorrn as to leave an unlled space into which the material Will he displaced, subjecting the material to 'fusing temperature under pressure thereby displacn ing the material necessary to lill such space upon flow lines defined by irregular distrin bution of the colored material ll. As an article of manufacture a phenolic condensation product having an orna mental striate surface marking produced by ununiform distribution of colored material somewhat in imitation oi ornamental calcinet Wood graining.

i. As an article of manufacture, an article molded from an intermixture oi differently colored phenolic condensation materials wherein the diil'erentl] colored materials are arranged in irregular radiating striee.

i i3. As an article of manufacture, an article molded from. an interrnixture of (liderently cofored phenolic condensation mate iials, wherein ilow lines of diierently colcred material are defined hy distorted stri., i 14. As an article of manufacture, an article molded from an interinixture oi' difaccenno iferentlj] colored phenolic condensation mau terials, wherein the diiferently colored roa- 'terials irregularly distributed in imitation of hurly cabinet Wood graining.

l5. bis an article manufacture, an article molded l'roin an interncixture oi diierently colored phenolic condensation inaterials, nai/ing the differently colored mate riale arranged in irregular rayonnant desien.,

lf2 A hotly ci intermixed' phenolic condensatior material oi diierent colors preformed into an annular tablet preparatory 'to vfusing: in o, heated mold.

l?. A loody ot intermined phenolic condensation materials of did'erent colors preiormed into talolet torni preparatory to fusin a mold. y

i8. The herein described method of producing surface markings upon molded phenolic condensation products and the like,in cluding distributing and intermixture of differently colored material in a mold, in such. manner as to leave o en spaces into which the material may loe `isplaced, fusing the material at a suhfnormal temperature by which the material loecomes mobile, hut not higzhlgT iluid, subjecting the fused material to pressure ley which relative movement of portions of diiierently colored material is affected, Within the mold Without blending, to produce in the molded article a series of distorted oW lines, defined hy the diiierently colored material.

InA testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of September A. D. l925.

HARRY N. COPELAND.

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